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Re: Adjusting pH and TA

The key to preventing scaling is maintaining a CSI (calcium saturation index) at or very near zero. High levels of CH require lower TA and close monitoring of pH to keep CSI in line. If you plug all your numbers into the Pool Calculator it will give you the CSI.

I have extreme CH levels and need to maintain TA near 60 and keep a very close eye on pH to prevent scale.

Re: Adjusting pH and TA

Okay. So Hayward's recommendation of 80-120 should be ignored? They're so much higher.

I just retested. My pH is 7.5 and my TA is now around 50-60...let's call it 55. Should I raise the TA up a bit to say 70-80?

I wouldn't bother. Sounds like you have hard water and it will go up again the next time you top off. You'll be playing see-saw if you obsess too much over this stuff.

16K freeform gunite with spa; Pentair 4000 DE filter; Century Whisperflow 1 HP; Pentair Minimax heater.Troublefree does not mean Maintenancefree. It's like brushing your teeth: You can spend a couple minutes a day and pennies a week or go to the dentist once a year and spend several thousand dollars.A pool is like a pet - you have to feed it every day, even the days you don't want to play with it!

Re: Adjusting pH and TA

Oh okay. I'm using Taylor's K-2006 test kit. When I add the 5th drop of reactant the sample starts to turn from green to a light shade of pink/red but then swings back and holds steady at green. It's not until the 6th drop that it turns pink/red and remains that way. That's why I'm going with TA of 55...is this correct logic?

If I were to try to raise the TA using sodium bicarb I'd also raise the pH wouldn't I? Is that why you're telling me to leave it? TA of 50-55 is good enough?

I hear what you guys are saying on your recommendation of 60-80 but 50-55 is lower than your range, let alone WAY lower than what Hayward recommends. I'm just trying to understand as I'm just picking up this DIY pool chemist thing.

Re: Adjusting pH and TA

Originally Posted by doglover78

Oh okay. I'm using Taylor's K-2006 test kit. When I add the 5th drop of reactant the sample starts to turn from green to a light shade of pink/red but then swings back and holds steady at green. It's not until the 6th drop that it turns pink/red and remains that way. That's why I'm going with TA of 55...is this correct logic?

If I were to try to raise the TA using sodium bicarb I'd also raise the pH wouldn't I? Is that why you're telling me to leave it? TA of 50-55 is good enough?

I hear what you guys are saying on your recommendation of 60-80 but 50-55 is lower than your range, let alone WAY lower than what Hayward recommends. I'm just trying to understand as I'm just picking up this DIY pool chemist thing.

My levels are currently as follows:
FC 5.0
TA 50-55
pH 7.5

Better go reread the instructions. Just because it turned pink, doesn't mean it won't get pinker. You keep adding until it stops changing, then discount that last drop that didn't make any difference. Most of the time I go from green to grey to pale pink to Barbie Pink. And then it stays there.

Incidentally, if you let the pool calculator calculate a baking soda dose, you can go plug it in down lower where it says Effects of Adding Chemicals and see how much - or in this case, how little - it affects pH.

16K freeform gunite with spa; Pentair 4000 DE filter; Century Whisperflow 1 HP; Pentair Minimax heater.Troublefree does not mean Maintenancefree. It's like brushing your teeth: You can spend a couple minutes a day and pennies a week or go to the dentist once a year and spend several thousand dollars.A pool is like a pet - you have to feed it every day, even the days you don't want to play with it!

16K freeform gunite with spa; Pentair 4000 DE filter; Century Whisperflow 1 HP; Pentair Minimax heater.Troublefree does not mean Maintenancefree. It's like brushing your teeth: You can spend a couple minutes a day and pennies a week or go to the dentist once a year and spend several thousand dollars.A pool is like a pet - you have to feed it every day, even the days you don't want to play with it!

Re: Adjusting pH and TA

Assuming your CYA is at the recommended 70, your Calcium Saturation Index is only slightly negative. If you have some scaling, that might actually dissolve it back into solution.

But the fact is, a cup of Muriatic Acid shouldn't have had that huge of an effect on your pH and TA.

If I was you, I'd worry more about testing technique and comparing the results with Effects of adding chemicals on http://www.poolcalculator.com/ than I would about some arbitrary target levels. Either you're testing wrong or your pool is nowhere near as big as you think it is. And until you get that sorted out, you'll be chasing numbers up and down endlessly.

16K freeform gunite with spa; Pentair 4000 DE filter; Century Whisperflow 1 HP; Pentair Minimax heater.Troublefree does not mean Maintenancefree. It's like brushing your teeth: You can spend a couple minutes a day and pennies a week or go to the dentist once a year and spend several thousand dollars.A pool is like a pet - you have to feed it every day, even the days you don't want to play with it!

Re: Adjusting pH and TA

Originally Posted by doglover78

Oh okay. I'm using Taylor's K-2006 test kit. When I add the 5th drop of reactant the sample starts to turn from green to a light shade of pink/red but then swings back and holds steady at green. It's not until the 6th drop that it turns pink/red and remains that way. That's why I'm going with TA of 55...is this correct logic?

My guess is that if you add a 7th drop it will turn hot pink and the 8th drop will not do much. If this is the case, then the TA=70.